System of valve control.



No. 835,382. PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

F. A. WILLARD.

SYSTEM OF VALVE CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED numb, 1906.

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InvenCbrz rick fl.Wil'lard.

No. 835,382. PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906. I F. A. WILLARD.

SYSTEM OF VALVE CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.23, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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gecler-ick J1, Willard pigfi/g InvenCor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. WILLARD, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TO GEN- ERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

\ SYSTEM OF VALVE CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Nov. 6, 1906.

Application filed February 23, 1906. Serial No. 302,432.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. WIL- LARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and for operating valves or othersimilar devices by motors controlled from a distance, and has forits'object to improve the construction and arrangement of parts of suchapparatus.

It is frequently desirable to operate valves or other members from adistant control-station at which an indication shall be made of thevarious positions of the members to be moved during their traverse.Where'a number of such members are to be controlled individually, it isevident that a large number of circuits may be required between thecontrol-station and the motor-station, such an arrangement being notonly objectionable by reason of the complexity of the system, but

also expensive, both as to first cost and as to maintenance.

The present invention contemplates a novel construction and arrangementof parts whereby any desired number of motors or motor-driven membersmay be controlled at will from a distant station through a cable havingbut few wires. This is accomplished by providing a number of circuitswhich are common to all the ap aratuses, together with a selectivecircuit 'or each apparatus, whereby the parts connected to the commoncircuit may be out out or energized at will.

The present invention in .its various as pects and its objects andadvantages will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription in connection with the I accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 illustrates conventionally the motor-driven valves which areoperated and controlled in accordance with the present invention. Figs.2,3, and 4 are views showing details of the indicating andcircuitbreaking switch forming part of the mastercontroller at thecontrol-station, and Fig. 5 shows one of the switches at thecontrol-station.

"Referringto the drawings, A and A represent two valves adapted to beoperated by motors a and a. L and L indicate a source of current-supply.B B are main reversingswitches for the motors a and a, these switchesbeing adapted to connect their respective motors to the source ofcurrentsupply for either direction of rotation. C C are overloadswitches in the circuits of the several motors. D D are relays forcontrolling the reversing switches, as will be hereinafter described.These parts are all arranged at the valve-station, while at thecontrolstation there is provided for each motor a master-controllerapparatus comprising a main switch E, a combined circuit-breaker andindicator F, and a master reversingswitch G. The combinedcircuit-breaker and indicator may take any preferred form, beingpreferably. of that type wherein the circuits are made by operating thedevice manually and again interrupted by operating the deviceautomatically and step by step through means controlled from the valve.As shown in the diagram, a movable disk f, having a section ofinsulation f, is adapted to be rotated manually by means of a knob orhandle f A second disk is provided with oppositely-arranged teeth f f,whereby it may be automatically operated by means of a pawl mechanism F.The disk) is provided with a brushf, which bears upon the disk f,resting normally upon insulated section f. A second brush f also bearsupon the disk f. Normally it will be seen that the two brushes areelectrically insulated from each other; but when the knob f is turnedthe brush f leaves the insulated portion of the disk f and electricalcommunication'is established between the two brushes. This electricalcommunication continues until the disk has been rotated through such anangle that the brush f 6 is again brought over the insulated section inthe other disk. The switches G are double-throw switches provided withsprings 9 (see Fig. 5) for normally holding them open. They may be heldclosed in one position or the other by means of electromagnets g and 9In the drawings the parts are illustrated in then normal inoperativepositions, both valves being closed. If it is desired, for example, toopen valve A either wholly or partially, the knob f of the left-handmastercontrol apparatus is turned until the pointer f reaches a positionon the dial f 9 corresponding to the position to which the valve is tobe moved-.- The corresponding switch E is closed and the correspondingswitch G is thrown to; the left. The circuit maynowbe traced from lineL, through electromagnets g and g switch E, wire 1, through brush f andthence through disk f to. brush f through wire 2, through theactuating-coil of relay. D, through the contacts of throttlerelay C andthe coil of this relay, thence through wire 3 to line L. The relay D 'isthus operated to close its contacts and a circuit'rnay now be tracedfrom-li'ne-L through switch G, wire 4; actuating-coil b ofthe reversingswitch', contacts of relay D, and thence-throughthe coil of theoverload-relay C and through wire 3 toliine L.' The. contactsbofthe-reversingeswitchare nowclosed and current is supplied to the motorin the properdirection for causing it to open the valve; A' thirdcircuit may also betraced from lineL through switch G, wire 10,

actuating-coil of magnet f ofthe actuatingdevice F, thence throughswitch E, Wire 6, through the interrupter H} throughwire -7, and-thenceby way of wire8, through overload-relay O, and wire 3 to line L. Thecircuit including the coilof magnetf is made and interrupted in theusual manner by theinterrupter-H, so thatas the valve opens the disk f 3is turned "step by step until the brush f 6 is again brought uponinsulation f, whereupon the electrical connectionbetweenthe brushes fand f is broken andelectrornagnet g', which is in series withthesebrushes, is denergized. As soon as thei-spring g'is nolongerrestrained by electromagnet'g it-operates to throw the switch G open,and-thus break all'the control-cin cu-its, causing the contacts 19 ofthe reversingswitch to open andtherelay D to drop. If

, it-is desired to close the valve again or partially closeit; theknob-f is turned in the op posite direction and-the same circuitsarecompleted as before, except that wire--4-and thecoil b of thereversing-switch remain deenergized and wire 9 and the coil 1) of'thereversing switeln are energized instead-. Thus the contacts 5 ot='thereversing-switch are-caused to close and themotoris driven inthe'opposite direction; Similarly, wire 5 and electromagnet fare-energized instead of wire 10 and electrom-agnet f so that the disk fis turned-ina' clockwise direction in stead of in a counterclockwisedirection, as

before; In order to operate-valve A, the

other set of-mastercontrolling devices is utilized, therelay for thisvalve being, however, energized throngh aseparate' wire-12, butthe-coils ot the reversing-switch being connected to wires 4 and 9,-respectively, through wires-4 and 9 Wires 6 and 7 are also utilized,since the two interrupters III-I are-connected to these wires-inparallel. It'

"now be seenthat there are six wires-- namely, those numbered 2', 4 6-,-7, 9, and 12- extending between the control-station and thevalve-station, four 'of these wiresnamely, 4, 6, 7, and 9being-,commontoboth systems and eachsystem requiring only one other wire in addition tothese four. It is evident that a great many valves may be operated fromdistant stations in this manner-namely, by connecting all thereversing-switches and interrupters in parallel to the commoncontrol-cable and providing for each additional valve a further wire forcontrolling the relay associated with that-valve.

In Figs; 2, 3, and 4 I-ha-ve-illustrated asatisfaetory formofcircuit-breaker: and indica-tor; mounted a disk 14,- having a pointer15, which moves over a stationary dial 16. The

disk 14 corresponds to the disk fend-thebrush 17 and terminal 18corresponding-tothe brush f. The brush17 bears-upona disk 19, pivotallysupported in the casing at 20 and having a section ofinsulation 21 inthe path of the brush, the disk 19 and insulation 21 corresponding tothe disk-f and the insulation f in Fig. 1. A stationary brush 22,correspondingto brush-f, makes contact with the disk 19=.= This latterdisk is also provided with a pointer 19, which moves across thedial 16.A pair of electromagnets23' and 24, corresponding to electromagnets fand f, are connected to an-arm- 25, which is loosely j ournaled upon thehub! 26 of the disk 19. T he arm 25'is normally held in a centralposition by meansof springs 27 and 28 A double pawl'29- is pivotal-lysecured to the lower endof the arm 25 and is adapted to cooperate withthe teeth 30, formed in a. segment 31,- extending from the disk 19 forthe purposeof oscillating the disk-.- The doublepawl is normallymaintained out of engagement with the teeth 30- by means of springs 31and 32, fixed at one end to the casing and at the-other end'to. ana-rm33 projecting from the pawl. Whenever the. electromagnet 23 isenergized,the arm 25 is swung toward the left, placing spring 28' under tension.At the same timesp-ring32 is put under a slight tension, therebythrowingthe right-hand nose of the pawl into engagement with' one of theteeth-30. Thereupon when the electromagnet is denergized the spring 28-returns the arm 25 to its central position and by reason of theengagementof the pawl with one of-the' teeth on the segment the disk 19is moved forward one notch. In the same way the energiza-tion andsubsequent denergizationof electromagnet 24' causes the disk 19 to bemoved in the opposite direction step by step. The-arrangementillustrated and described fo'roperating the disk 19 formsno part ofthepresent invention, be-

ing disclosed in an application of L. A. Tirrill, SerialNo- 223,706,filed September 8, 1904.

Although I 'haveiIIustrated the present in In acasing-13 th'ere ispivo-tally vention as applied to systems for operating valves, it is ofcourse evident that the invention is not limited in its application tovalve mechanisms, but may be employed Wherever it is desired to operateand control a plurality of motors.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. In combination, a plurality of motors, a circuit-controlling devicefor each. motor, a common control-circuit for said circuit-controllingdevices, a plurality of master-controllers connected to saidcontrol-circuit, a relay governing the operation of each of saidcircuit-controlling devices, and means associated with each of saidmaster-controllers for controlling one of said relays.

2. In combination, a plurality of motors, a circuit-controlling devicefor each motor, actuating means for said circuit-controlling devices, acontrol-circuit to which said actuating means are connected in parallel,a plu rality of master-controllers connected to said control-circuits, arelay governing-the actuating meansof each of said circuit-controllingdevices, and means associated with each master-controller forcontrolling one of said relays.

3. In combination, a plurality of motors, a circuit-controlling devicefor each of said motors, actuating means for each controlling device, acontrol-circuit to which said actuating means are connected in parallel,master-controllers corresponding in number to said motors also connectedin parallel to said controla circuit, a relay governing each of saidcircuitcontrolling devices, and a relay-controlling circuit extendingfrom each of said mastercontrollers to one of the relays. Y Y

4. In combination, a plurality of motors, a circuit-controlling devicefor each of said motors, actuating means for each of saidcircuitcontrolling devices, a control-circuit to which said actuatingmeans are connected in parallel, master-controllers corresponding innumber to said motors also connected in parallel to saidcontrol-circuit, a relay arranged to connect and disconnect each of saidactuating means from said control-circuit, and a relay-controllingcircuit extending from each of said master-controllers to one of saidrelays.

5. In combination, a plurality of motors, a reversing-switch fpr each ofsaid motors, a pair of electromagnets for operating each of saidreversing-switches,. control-circuits to which correspondingelectromagnets are con nected in parallel, master-controllers also'connected in parallel to said control-circuits, a relay for controllingthe circuit of each pair of electromagnets, and relay controllingcircuits extending from the master-controllers to corresponding relays.

6. In combination, a plurality of motors,

a circuit-controlling device for each motor, a]

common contro1-circuit for said circuit-controlling devices, a pluralityof master-controllers connected to said control-circuit, a relaygoverning the operation of each of said circuit-controlling devices, arelay-controlling circuit-extending from said master-controllers tocorresponding relays, and means governed by said motors for interruptingthe circuits of corresponding relays.

7. In a system of control, a motor, a controller for said motor, anelectromagnetically-maintained switch for governing the operation ofsaid controller, a master-controller, means for o erating saidmaster-con troller-to energize tlie maintaining means for said switch,and means controlled by the motor for operating said master-controllerto denergize said maintaining .means.

8. In a system of control, a'motor, a circuit-controlling device, meansfor actuating saidcircuit-controlling device, a relay for govering saidactuating means, a circuit for controlling said relay, a master-switch,means for operating said master-switch to complete the control-circuitfor said relay, and means controlled by the motor for operating saidmaster-switch'to denergize the control-circuit for said relay.

9. In a system of control, a motor, a circuit-controlling device,actuating means for said circuit-controlling device, a relay forgoverning said actuating means, a controlcircuit for said relay, amaster-controller having a plurality of running positions for energizingthe control-circuit for the relay, and means controlled by the motor foroperating said master-controller to interrupt the control-circuit forthe relay after the motor has made a'number of revolutions determined bythe position of the master-controller.

10. In a system of control, a motor, a circuit-controlling device, arelay for governing said circuit-controlling device, separatecontrol-circuits for said circuit-controlling device and said relay, amaster-controller including two contact members, means for moving saidmembers relatively to each other in order to energize the relay, andmeans controlled by the motor for roducing a relative movement of saidmember to deenergize the relay.

11. In a system of control, a motor, a circuit-controlling device forsaid motor, a relay for governing said circuit-controlling device,separate control-circuits for said circuit-controlling device, and saidrelay, a master-controller and connections including two contacts, meansfor producing a relative movement between said contacts in order toenergize the control-circuits for the relay, and means controlled by themotor for roducing a relative movement between said contacts ITO afterthe motor has made a predetermined ing the relay when the master-switchis in one of its running positions, and means for automaticallyoperating said mastercon troller to deenergize the relay when saidmember reaches the position corresponding to the position determined bythe position of the master-controller.

13. In combination, a member to be moved, an. operating-motor, areversingswitch for said motor, actuating means for saidreversing-switch, a relay governing said actuating means, amaster-switch having a plurality ofrunning positions corresponding todefinite positions of said member, connections between saidmaster-switch and said relay for energizing the relay when themaster-sWitch is in a running position, means for actuating saidmaster-switch manually to any running osition and means controlled bysaid member for operatingsaid switch step by step to indicate theposition of said member and to deenergize said relay when the saidmember has reached the position determined by the master-controller.

14. In a system of control, a plurality of motors, a circuit-controllingdevice for each eaaaaa motor, actuating means for each of saidoireuit-controlling devices, a relay for governing each of saidactuating means, a controlcircuit for each relay, a plurality ofmastercontrollers, and a common control-circuit extending between saidmaster-controllers and said actuating means, means associated with saidmaster-controllers for energizing corresponding relays, and meanscontrolled by each motor for operating the correspondingmaster-controller to denergize the relay governed thereby.

Y 15. In a system of control, a plurality of motors, acircuit-controlling device for each motor, actuating means for eachcircuitc'on trolling device, a control-circuit to which said actuatingmeans are connected in parallel, a relay between each of said actuatingmeans and said control-circuit, a pluralit of master controllersconnected in paralle to said control-circuit, relay-controlling circuitsbetween each of said master-controllers on corresponding relays, meansfor man-. ually operating any one of said master-controllers to com latethe several control-cir c'uits associate therewith, and means controlledhy each motor for operating the corresponding master-controller todeenergize the relay-controlling circuit connected thereto.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day ofFebruary, 1906.

' FREDERICK A. WILLARD.

Witnesses:

Isaac A. WILE, KARL A. ScHrcK.

